ABSTRACT
Ambient air inhalable particulate matter, Black Carbon (BC)
and heavy metal concentration levels in the ambient air derived from combustion
at a local palm kernel production site was assessed in this study. The goal of
this work was to identify the effect of biomass burning from palm kernel oil
production activities on ambient air quality at Akotokyir and its environs and
the possible health effects. An IVL sampler and a Sierra Anderson (GAST) pump
were used to sample PM10 air particulate matter from 20th December,
2014 to 23rd March, 2015. Elemental and black carbon concentrations
were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy and Smoke Stain
Reflectometer respectively. The average mass concentration of the PM10
particulates was found to be 121.19 µg/m3 with maximum and minimum
values of 658.68 µg/m3 and 21.01 µg/m3 respectively. The
maximum and minimum BC mass concentration in PM10 particulates were 30.04 µg/m3
and 11.42 µg/m3 respectively and the mean percentage of BC was 8.5%.
Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cd, Cr, Co, Ca, Mg, Na and K in the air particulates
were analysed using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. Na, Fe, Ca, and Mg were
present as major elements whiles the rest were present in trace quantities.
Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed 5 major sources; biomass burning
(36.69%), two stroke engines (17.46%), soil dust (16.76%), and Sea salt (7.81%).
The fifth source could not be identified.
Comparative Air Quality Index (AQI) analysis revealed that only 48.88% of the
sampling days had air quality which could be classified as good, 32.55% as moderate,
6.98% as unhealthy, 6.98% as unhealthy for sensitive group and 4.61 % as
hazardous.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
The quality of the air in the
atmosphere is affected by pollutants that are emitted in the atmosphere either
through human activities or by natural occurrences like volcanic eruptions and
wild bush fires. The severity of the problem depends on the capacity of the
environment to assimilate the pollutants that are emitted into the environment.
Increasing human activities due to population growth and technology has
resulted in a rate of emission of pollutants higher than the environment can
assimilate. Pollution arouses interest as an environmental issue because it
impacts directly on man through effects on food supply, health, buildings and
other items of cultural heritage as well as overt effects on forests, rivers,
coastlines and familiar ecosystems. A number of studies of have underlined the
connection between the presence of pollutants in the air and the occurrence of
health problems. Policy makers need information on the quality of the air in
any particular environment to enable them develop policies that will help to
maintain or improve quality of the air in that environment. This thesis tries
to provide information on the effect of palm kernel oil production activities
to the ambient air by sampling the air at a site noted for palm kernel oil
production. The sampled air will be analyzed for the presence of harmful
pollutants. The concentration levels of the pollutants will be used to assess
the quality of the air in that environment.
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Item Type: Ghanaian Topic | Size: 99 pages | Chapters: 1-5
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